Smartwatches don't have to look ugly. Designers are collaborating with engineers to produce computerized wristwatches. The designers hope people will want to wear them day and night.

Apple is preparing to release a new watch line. It will include an 18-karat gold edition. Rival companies know that if the watches aren't attractive, the market won't grow. Today, smartwatches include only a small group of users.

"The big brick on the wrist is not what a fashionable person is going to wear on a day-to-day basis," says Cindy Livingston. She is CEO of Sequel. It's a Timex business that makes traditional watches. They are sold under the Guess clothing brand. That's especially true for women, she says. Many of the existing smartwatches are simply too big for their wrists.

At the International CES gadget show in Las Vegas, Guess said it's partnering with Martian Watches. They will make a line of fashionable smartwatches. Guess took its leading line of traditional watches, Rigor, and incorporated Martian's technology. From a distance, the new Guess Connect watch looks like a Rigor. It has hands and a crown, or dial, on the right. Closer inspection reveals the addition of two control buttons. And a small, one-line display for notifications near 6 o'clock.

The Consumer Electronics Association projects that U.S. sales of wearable devices will reach 31 million this year. That is up 61 percent. Most will be health and fitness devices, such as step counters. General-purpose smartwatches are expected to reach just 11 million. That's about a third of all wearable devices. It is more than quadruple what was sold in 2014.

The high-fashion smartwatches will cost about $450 compared with $200 to $300 for typical smartwatches.

Technology; Designers are making modifications to wrist watches and hope people will start buying them. Apple is making a new smart watch

AugustH-5

1/15/2015 - 08:05 p.m.

Companies are trying to make smart watches more wearable by making them smaller and not as bulky/ugly looking. There are only a small group of smart watch users. People think it is not fashionable to wear a ugly brick on your wrist. Most smart watches are to large to fit some womens wrists. A projection shows that 31 million devices will be sold this year. Only 11 million will be smart watches. I think smart watches do look a bit funky and it would be great if they could make them look like normal watches.

RaffyD-3

1/15/2015 - 08:29 p.m.

Many people do not like smart watches. But now they might fall in love with them. Many do not like these watches because they think that they are not stylish. Apple is coming out with a new real gold smart watch that will make them more appealing. It is predicted that 31 million people will have smart watches this year! I think this interesting because if smart watches become popular they will revolutionize the business.

GrahamR

1/16/2015 - 10:11 a.m.

Very interesting article, very good information and enjoyable to read.

ANGRYMIDGET017

1/16/2015 - 10:12 a.m.

Smart-watches aren't really smart. They need to be connected to a new smart phone to work properly. They only give you notifications from your iPhone or Android. They cost as much as a smart phone, but only do half of the work.

20ethan18

1/16/2015 - 10:13 a.m.

It has some sort of micro chip in it to help it process things that a regular watch cannot.

kims18

1/16/2015 - 10:15 a.m.

A smartwatch is "smart" because you could communicate with the watch. With a little screen on your wrist you could talk to a person on the other side of the world. Technology is becoming so advanced we can get internet on our watches.

Kayles_28

1/16/2015 - 10:15 a.m.

This article was interesting because it shows how the world of technology is progressing.

Noah_pierce2000

1/16/2015 - 10:17 a.m.

I do not believe that Smart watches are smart because they do things that other watches cannot. For example, the picture shown in the article is someone face timing another girl. This is one of Apple product features. This is something that a normal watch does not have. This make a smart watch smart.

MiahP2018

1/16/2015 - 10:18 a.m.

I believe the amount of tasks a watch can achieve is what makes a smartwatch "smart". For example, old phones can only do so many things at a time. Meanwhile, modern day smart phones can do a multiple amount of things. Anything from texting to surfing the web, a smartphone can achieve it.